Endocrinology is the study of the endocrine system in the human body. This is a system of glands which secrete hormones. Hormones are chemicals which affect the actions of different target organs in the body.
The department deals with a range of endocrine disorders. As well as general endocrine clinics there are specialised clinics for pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal diseases. We also have a service for ladies with Turners syndrome, and transition clinics for adolescents moving from paediatric department to the adult service.
The Endocrine Department offers a range of services to investigate, diagnose and treat patients with endocrine disorders. Patients can be referred to the department by their GP, or another hospital consultant.
Patients will usually receive an appointment to be seen in a Consultant clinic first. Most clinics are held at Queen Alexandra Hospital but some conditions can be seen in clinics at Gosport War Memorial and Fareham Community Hospitals. If the consultant feels it would be helpful to have investigations performed before the appointment these will be arranged.
As well as clinics where people with a variety of endocrine conditions can be seen, the department also runs specialised endocrine clinics too. These clinics are led by consultants. Specialist Registrars and Specialist Endocrine nurses may also see patients.
- Pituitary clinic
- Joint Pituitary clinic
- Acromegaly clinic
- Parathyroid clinic
- Adrenal clinic
- Thyrotoxicosis clinic
- Thyroid Lump clinic
- Turner’s clinic
- Transition & Young Adults clinic
- Lipids clinic
Our endocrine nurse specialists are involved in the investigation and care of patients who attend the endocrine department. They attend pituitary, adrenal and thyroid Multidisciplinary Team Meetings (MDTs), and participate in several of the consultant led clinic too.
- Day Case investigations. Patients will often require specialised dynamic function tests to assess their hormone production. The tests are performed by an ENS, with medical support if necessary.
- Hydrocortisone Education. Group education sessions are held to teach patients on steroid replacement how to manage their medication during illness and stress. Relatives are welcome to attend too.
- Growth Hormone replacement clinics for monitoring patients taking this injectable medication.
- Administering specialist endocrine drugs, such as injections used for treating resistant acromegaly.
- Radioiodine Follow-up clinic. A nurse-led clinic for patients who have received radioiodine treatment for hyperthyroidism.
Historically patients with lipid disorders have been referred ad hoc to a number of clinicians and this new development gives an opportunity for these patients to be seen in a dedicated clinic run by two clinicians with a specialist interest in lipid disorders.
Examples of patients that this service may provide help with include:
- Lack of response (in severe hypercholesterolaemia) or intolerance to statin therapy
- Mixed dyslipidaemia where multiple lipid lowering therapies are often required
- Low HDL cholesterol concentrations
- Moderate to severe hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides >5 mmol/L)
- Patients with presumed Familial Hypercholesterolaemia and primary genetic dyslipidaemias
Please send referrals to the Lipid Service at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Department, Queen Alexandra Hospital.